Things I Didn't Know

This weekend I picked up The Birth of Black America: The First African Americans and the Pursuit of Freedom at Jamestown by Tim Hashaw, and while I'm only on page 117 I've already learned a great deal about colonial Virginia and it's black settlers and would recommend it highly. Although it does not promote itself as such it is one of the few books I've come across that truly give a sense of the wholeness of the "Atlantic World."

A New Blessing of the Fleet

This year hundreds gathered Saturday outside the Great Lakes Maritime Center at Vantage Point to take part in the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony. The first-ever event to start the Great Lakes shipping season.

Peter Werle, the center’s lead volunteer, said he arranged the ceremony to get people down to the water and recognize the city’s maritime heritage, now largely reduced to tourist vessels and tall ships. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved a slogan deeming the city the ‘‘Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes’’ in 2005.

Blessing of the Fleet ceremonies are held annually in coastal towns throughout the world. Narragansett, RI; Stonington, CT; Darien, GA; Kemah, TX; and Ulladulla, New South Wales and follows a centuries-old tradition originating in southern European, predominantly Catholic, fishing communities. A blessing from the local priest was meant to ensure a safe and bountiful season.

Position Announcement: Independence Seaport

Project Archivist: Independence Seaport Museum
Applications Contact person: Megan Fraser
Application due date: 2007/04/30
Salary range: Mid 30's
Web Address: www.phillyseaport.org
The Independence Seaport Museum Library seeks a full-time archivist for a one-year processing project. The archivist will arrange and describe two significant collections: the John E. Hand and Sons Company Records and the Seamen's Church Institute Records.
John E. Hand and Sons were manufacturers of nautical instruments in the Philadelphia area for more than 100 years. The archives of the company date from 1873-1997, and consist of approximately 18,000 items, including business correspondence with shipyards, patents, photographs, promotional materials such as calendars and brochures, and approximately 4,000 blueprints and drawings for virtually all of the instruments produced by the company.
The Seamen's Church Institute was founded in Philadelphia in 1843 to offer both spiritual and practical assistance to seafarers from around the world. The organization's archives consist of business and financial records, board meeting minutes, promotional materials and publications, photographs, art work, and records of those who used their facilities.
The goal of the project is to provide intellectual and physical access to these two important collections. The archivist will conduct a survey and determine appropriate arrangement schemes in consultation with the library director. S/he will arrange and rehouse the collection according to standard archival practice, and produce a finding aid including a scope and content note, a brief historical note, and a container/location list. Data from the finding aid will be used in the creation of an electronic record to be contributed to the OCLC union catalog.
Upon completion of arrangement and description, the archivist will co-curate a small exhibit of materials from the collections for the library's display cases. This work will include selection of items, composition of label text and exhibit design. Images and text from this exhibit will be used in a long-term online exhibit mounted on the Museum's website.
Required: ALA-accredited MLS with formal training in archival theory and practice. Knowledge of American/maritime history/technology. Excellent writing and organizational skills, accuracy, attention to detail. Ability to work independently.
Preferred: Undergraduate degree in humanities. Three years experience with mixed materials collections. Reference and/or research experience.
To Apply: Send resume, cover letter and finding aid sample to Megan Fraser, Library Director, Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19106; fax: 215.925.6713; or e-mail: library@phillyseaport.org P

New York Times Museum Review: USS Monitor

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — As sacred relics go, it doesn’t seem too inspiring. In appearance, Nathaniel Hawthorne said, it “looked like a gigantic rat-trap.” In life, it had little more than a single day of major achievement, and in that it was less than triumphant. In death, it was even less grand, sinking into the Atlantic during a storm, not even a year after it first lumbered onto the scene.....Full Story

Pirates Again

Blackbeards ship, Queen Anne's Revenge is thought to be the vessel under excavation off the coast of North Carolina.

According to cnn.com:

Several officials said historical data and coral-covered artifacts recovered from the site -- including 25 cannons, which experts said was an uncommonly large number to find on a ship in the region in the early 18th century -- remove any doubt the wreckage belonged to Blackbeard.

Three university professors, including two from East Carolina University, have challenged the findings. But officials working on the excavation said Friday that the more they find, the stronger their case becomes.

"Historians have really looked at it thoroughly and don't feel that there's any possibility anything else is in there that was not recorded," said Mark Wilde-Ramsing, director of the Queen Anne's Revenge Project. "And the artifacts continue to support it."

Wilde-Ramsing said a coin weight recovered last fall bearing a likeness of Britain's Queen Anne and a King George cup, both dated before the shipwreck, further bolster their position.

---

Plans are to fully excavate the ship in 3 years.

Eighth Maritime Heritage Conference: Call For Papers

The Conference Program Committee of the 8^th Maritime Heritage Conference which will be held in San Diego, California, Tuesday October 9^th through Friday October 12^th, 2007 invites abstracts for individual papers (15-30 minutes in length) and session proposals (three or four papers in 75 minutes). Papers may address a specific subject or aspects of the broader themes of the conference. Among the themes the conference will focus on are:

Maritime and Naval History ♦ History of Hydrographic Surveys ♦

Oceanic Trade and Communications ♦ National Marine Sanctuaries ♦ Marine Art ♦ Shipbuilding ♦ Ship Preservation ♦ Small Craft ♦ Lighthouses and Lifesaving Stations ♦ Historic Ships ♦ Underwater Archaeology ♦ Maritime Libraries and Museums ♦

Maritime Heritage Education

Abstracts should be typed and consist of no more than one single-spaced page. Each abstract must be accompanied by a CV of no more than three pages. Abstracts and CVs are due no later than June 1^st, 2007.

Full Details

Position: National Maritime Museum

Curator of 17th-Century Imperial and Maritime Studies

Organisation: NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
Location: South London
Salary: £27,500 - £32,336 plus benefits
Date posted: 5 Mar 2007
Closing date: 20 Mar 2007



Ref: G/17

£27,500 - £32,336 + benefits o Greenwich

(Starting salary dependant on skills and experience. More may be available for the exceptional candidate)

We have ambitious plans for our new Centre for Imperial and Maritime Studies (www.nmm.ac.uk/cims). Driving innovative new initiatives and online resources, our goal is to establish the Museum as the major research institution and a global driving force for study in this area.

These roles are key to making that happen. Working closely with your fellow curators, you will conduct high-quality research on the Museum's collections and subjects, contribute to gallery and exhibition development, build partnerships with academics and key institutions and, working with Learning and Interpretation, develop imaginative ways to reach and engage a range of audiences.

With a postgraduate degree in a relevant subject, you should already have material published (or in preparation for publication). However, your area of specialisation is less important than your keenness to work with a range of unique 2 and 3-D materials, using them to bring alive Britain's imperial and maritime history for people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

Private Ocean Liner Memoriabilia Collection Hosted by Cruise Lines

Norfolk Brings Maritime Memorabilia to New Terminal

Editorial Comment: Funny, they didn't make an arrangement with a museum.

Who owns abondoned documents?

Recently a large group of documents belonging to Todd Shipyards Corporation were discovered in the possession of the IKEA corporation who had purchased the former shipyard property. The documents along with other abandoned Shipyard property was found by Carolina Salguero, the founder of PortSide NewYork, a waterfront themed cultural and educational institution.

Salguero recovered the documents but then it appears Todd Shipyard wanted them back. You can read more about the story New deal snatches maritime documents from the trash heap, but my question is, why does Todd Shipyards have a right to the documents. They clearly deserted them, moved away without taking them, and then made no effort to recover them. IKEA did not even know they existed, so why would they not then belong to PortSide New York? And thinking further...how many documents do we hold that were abondoned and added to our collections only after having been found by a third party?

Grant News!

Mystic Seaport has received a grant for $150,000 from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation to create a prototype Cultural Heritage Digital Library. This Library will focus on the maritime studies field, and also provide a framework around which other Cultural Heritage fields could build similar libraries. Building upon the successful implementation of the G. W. Blunt White Digital, this unique digital library will provide non-technical access to the type of electronic resources requested by maritime scholars in a recent study conducted by the G. W. Blunt White Library and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

While the exact configuration of The Cultural Heritage Digital Library will be determined in consultation with partner institutions, it will be international in nature and may consist of:

a) A Resource Discovery tool to collect, annotate and provide access to existing electronic maritime resources

b) A Multi-institutional Manuscript Collection Description Repository

c) A Digital Collection of historic maritime newspapers

d) A Repository for Electronic maritime materials with no other home, including curricula, grey literature and a maritime heritage studies journal.

Paul O’Pecko, Vice President for Collections and Research is the Project Director, responsible for setting the direction of the project, fund-raising for its continued success, convincing potential partners of the need to participate and presenting results at conferences.

Kelly S. Drake, Associate Director for Collections Access and Research is the Project Manager and will be in charge of the actual creation of the Library with input from institutional partners.

The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation provides financial assistance to educational, cultural, scientific and religious institutions. The Board of Trustees’ current practice is to award grants primarily in the areas of private higher education, secondary education, graduate theological education, health care and public television.

Follow Up

More info on the North Carolina Maritime Museum issue: Squall Lines

PEM Appoints Library Director

According to an article in the Salem News, Sidney Berger, 62, a faculty member at Simmons College and a former curator at the American Antiquarian Society, was selected to be the first Ann C. Pingree director of the Phillips Library. He will begin his new post in June.

The job of library director, which has not existed since before the 1992 merger of the Essex Institute and Peabody Museum, will be a senior-level staff position and "a clear-cut indication of the role and importance of the library," Monroe said.

Decisions about future changes and directions for the Library will be made after Berger takes his new position.

Position: Executive Director Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver Maritime Museum
Type: Full Time
Salary Range: Open
Web: www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is the principal maritime museum on the Pacific Coast of Canada and one of a few major maritime museums on the west coast of North America. It interprets the story of Canada's great Pacific port and is home to the famous RCMP ship, St. Roch. The Museum is well-known for its excellent programs and exhibits, strong membership and corporate support, as well as its family friendly focus and dedicated staff. It is in this exciting and challenging environment that we have a pivotal role for a new
Executive Director - Help chart a new course for this venerable museum.
We are seeking an experienced leader to provide new direction and reinvigorate the day-to-day operations of the museum. You will build on our strengths as the museum moves forward, poised to make a significant contribution to the educational, maritime and tourism communities of the Greater Vancouver area in BC.
With a strong background in operations and change management, combined with an enthusiasm for public institutions, you will be ideal for this role. Experience in the maritime sector is desirable although not essential.
Vancouver is a place in which you can feel at home: it is Canada's gateway to the Pacific and consistently rated as one of the top places to live in the world. With approximately 2.3 million people in the metropolitan area, this growing, multicultural city is proud to be hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Closes 2/9/07
Send letter, resume and salary requirements to:
Application Email: director@vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
Application Address:
Director
Vancouver Maritime Museum
1905 Ogden Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia V6J 1A3 Posted January 24th

Internships: Martha's Vineyard Museum

Curatorial Intern Edgartown, Massachusetts
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Applications Contact person: Jill Bouck
Application due date: 2007/March 30
Salary range: $9 per hour
Web Address: www.marthasvineyardhistory.org
Curatorial Intern: The curatorial intern will work extensively with the curator and assistant curator on a variety of tasks such as the overall operation of the 18th century Cooke House on the MVM campus, exhibit care and maintenance, environmental monitoring, collection care, security, registration and collection storage. The curatorial intern will lead interpretational tours of the Cooke House as well as campus-wide tours for visitors of all ages and assist in training other interns and volunteers to do the same. The intern will also work with other museum staff, interns and volunteers on a variety of museum-related tasks and ongoing summer education programs. Candidates for this position should have a strong interest or background in museum studies, education and history and enjoy working with the public.
Application Process:
To be considered for an internship position, you will have to submit a complete application package to the MVM by March 30, 2007. This application package includes:
- Martha's Vineyard Museum Intern Information Sheet(see MVM website for form)
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Most Current Contact Information (phone number and email)
Upon receiving the application packet, MVM staff will send an email acknowledgement. A telephone interview will be necessary for the finalists.
Please send the completed application packet to:
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Attn: Internship Committee
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA. 02539 Posted January 24th

Internship: Martha's Vineyard Museum

Library/Archive Intern Edgartown, Massachusetts
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Applications Contact person: Keith Gorman
Application due date: 2007 March 30
Salary range: $9 per hour
Web Address: www.marthasvineyardhistory.org
The Library/Archive Intern will work closely with the librarian, library staff and volunteers, and visiting researchers at the Gale Huntington Library. The Library's special collections include 50,000 photographic images, 500 maps, and 550 linear feet of manuscripts, logbooks, diaries, and scrapbooks. The Library maintains a small non-circulating collection of monographs that relate to the Museum's focus on Martha's Vineyard history and culture. It functions as the Vineyard's primary cultural and historical repository. Thus, the Library responds to research and reference queries from around the world. While gaining a solid understanding of the basic operations of a research library, the intern will also learn a number of important archival concepts and skills. Candidates for this position should have a strong interest and background in American history and/or some experience working in a research library setting.
Application Process:
To be considered for an internship position, you will have to submit a complete application package to the MVM by March 30, 2007. This application package includes:
- Martha's Vineyard Museum Intern Information Sheet (see website for form)
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Most Current Contact Information (phone number and email)
Upon receiving the application packet, MVM staff will send an email acknowledgement.
A telephone interview will be necessary for the finalists.
Please send the completed application packet to:
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Attn: Internship Committee
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA. 02539 Posted January 24th

Internship: Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Curatorial Internship, Summer 2007 Manitowoc, WI
Wisconsin Maritime Museum
The Curatorial Intern will focus on exhibits research, production and maintenance; however, responsibilities may also include conservation and collections management work. The intern’s primary projects will relate to work on the Museum’s permanent gallery and upcoming temporary exhibits, and may include identifying and researching potential items for exhibit, coordinating incoming loan items, and script writing. The intern works directly with the Curator or a department head responsible for the project, under the supervision of the Curator. Projects will involve various Museum resources such as ship's plans, photographic, and art archives; film and manuscript collections; three-dimensional artifacts, historic small boat collection; or the Museum's World War II submarine U.S.S. COBIA.
Qualifications: Must have excellent research and writing skills, be self-motivated, and able to work independently with little supervision. Preference will be given to candidates enrolled in history, museum studies or public history programs.
Compensation is $7.50 per hour for up to 320 hours of paid work; start date and work schedule are flexible.
Please send cover letter, resume, and references by February 28, 2007 to: Michelle Hill, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220; or via email to mhill@wisconsinmaritime.org. Posted January 28th

Australian Register of Historic Vessels

The Australian National Maritime Museum launched the nation's first Australian Register of Historic Vessels on February 1.

The initial objective of the online register it to assemble a broad picture of Australia's historic boats and ships - indicating the various types, their numbers, their distribution, the uses they serve and their condition.

At launch, the database contains an initial list of 100 vessels - ranging from an early Australian surfboard and an Indigenous one-person fishing raft to a Murray River paddle steamer, a Newcastle collier and a former Royal Australian Navy destroyer.

Any owner wishing to nominate a vessel for inclusion in the Register will find the assessment criteria, helpful information and a Nomination Form on the Register web pages.

I haven't played around in the database much but from what I've seen it's a very rich source of information on the vessels that are included.

Heads up

I don't have the full story, but it would be irresponsible and counter to the Compass's mission not to mention the latest happening regarding Independence Seaport Museum. It appears that during the month of January the Museum sued past director Johns S. Brown for stealing 2.4 million.

A better summary of the situation is at: the Sea-Fever blog (which I've never noticed before but will now follow)


The following are a few links to some of the stories:

Former Museum Chief Denies Stealing Millions

John S. Brown has 99 Problems

Position Announcement:: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum seeks a proven museum professional to manage the production, installation and maintenance of the Museum's exhibits. As a member of the exhibit development teams, the specialist will participate in exhibit design and planning. Responsibilities also include cost estimation for ongoing maintenance and exhibit fabrication and the annual department budget; graphic design, fabrication and assistance with installation of all Museum signage.

See Job Detail.

One Month Later...

Today being February 1st it seemed a good time to get back to blogging. The reason I've been 'gone' is due to the Holidays, the kids being home for winter break and ... the G. W. Blunt White Library move and inter-Collection Intigration. For those of you not familiar with recent events at the Library what follows is a brief run down.

It all began in February of last year when, as a cost saving measure Mystic Seaport offered veteran employees a buy-out option. Out of 40 some staff members in the Collections Area, 12 took the option leaving each Collection thinly staffed. The Library had only 3 full time employees, Ships Plans 2, Curatorial 5, Photgraphy 3...well you get the idea.

And so it was decided that the best way to move forward was to combine forces, reorganze along functional, rather than collection, lines and move the Library into the vast spaces of the Collections Research Center.

...we are now in the midst of that great move but things have settled down enough, both at work and at home that I feel we can get this blog going again.

What have missed? Well aside from the big happening down at Phili, which I'll cover later, not too much. The biggest omission, I think, was Joe's Follansbees audio book and I'll get that story and link up today (getting an error message on the page now).

Kelly

PS Its good to be back